Hastings Assistant Principal Embezzled Over $13K: Police

HASTINGS, MN — A public school official in Dakota County is accused of stealing money from a south metro district and using it on college football tickets. Joshua Gerald McLay, 37, has been charged with eight counts of embezzlement of public funds and eight counts of theft by swindle in connection with the alleged theft of over $13,900 from Independent School District No. 200 in Hastings.

At the time of the alleged thefts, McLay was working as the Hastings High School wrestling coach, according to investigators. He has served as the Hastings High School assistant principal since July 2016.

The criminal complaint alleges that in an email dated Sept. 13, 2011, McLay advised the Hastings School District’s accounting supervisor that he was bringing his coaching staff to Lincoln, Nebraska, for a coaching clinic at the end of October and wished to pay for gas, a van, and hotel rooms for two nights for those attending.

He also mentioned that he wanted to treat the coaches to the Nebraska football game and was wondering if that would be possible.

The accounting supervisor advised him that the travel expenses (gas, hotel and van) were okay for a coaches clinic, but entertainment expenses were not, according to police.

Authorities claim McLay used school district funds to purchase college football game tickets for multiple people who were said to be attending a “wrestling coaches clinic” in 2012 (Iowa State University football game); 2013 (University of Wisconsin-Madison football game); 2014 (University of Minnesota football game); and 2018 (University of Notre Dame football game).

Also purchased for multiple individuals said to be attending a “wrestling coaches clinic” were various expenses for car rentals, hotel rooms, gas for rented vehicles, food and other expenses related to trips in 2011 (to Nebraska); 2012 (to Iowa); 2013 (to Wisconsin); 2014 (to Minneapolis); 2015, 2016 and 2017 (to Florida); and 2018 (to Indiana).

Investigators say some of the expenses for these events were charged by McLay to a Hastings School District credit card while others were paid directly by him for which he was reimbursed.

The investigation also found that all of the above expenses were claimed to be for coaches clinics, but that no coaches clinics took place on any of these trips, police said.

McLay has been charged by summons in this case and will be making his first court appearance on April 8 in Hastings.

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